Entry Two

Images Courtesy of Naughty Dog, Inc. (2013)

The kid is immune. I can’t believe this shit. Dammit Marlene…I got no clue why the Fireflies are still hanging onto the idea of a cure. Ellie said the Fireflies have their own QZ, with doctors still working. I guess they think her blood will help create some sorta vaccine. This is why Marlene needed us to smuggle her out. The Capitol is far from our QZ and Downtown is in ruins, crawling with infected. We barely made is through one building without it collapsing. I guess its good I’m used to dealing with Clickers since the kid is just good-for-nothin’ cargo. At least I found me a new pistol. Should come in handy. Ha, when we came out on top of one of the Downtown buildings, the sun was just coming  up, and the look on Ellie's face was priceless. It was her first time seeing the Downtown skyline, with the sun coming' up just behind the Capitol building. She was so happy, it was like she had completely forgot what the world had turned into.
God, I can’t believe I’m doin’ this.

This entry reveals the "innate greatness" expressed through the behavior an skills of successful questers throughout their journey. Across Medieval works, the innate greatness of the protagonist knight or quester is repeatedly tested, often in supernaturally occurring settings. Joel’s skills as a survivalist and protector were put to the test as they travelled through Downtown to get to the Capitol building and battled the otherworldly infected creatures. He was adept as evading detection, throwing bottles or bricks to trick the Clickers and make them think he was elsewhere, and taking the lead to kill the monstrous infected creatures while Tess ensured Ellie’s protection by waiting elsewhere until the space was free from the infected. This is reminiscent of Sir Orfeo (written by an unknown author in 1325 CE), wherein the questing King of England, Sir Orfeo, must go up against the otherworldly fairy creatures and their King in order to rescue his kidnapped wife. He disguises himself as a beggar, and infiltrates the fairy kingdom, evading detection and sure death; when he meets the Fairy King, the hero plays him a harp, and tricks the Fairy King into offering him a reward of his own choosing—naturally, he chooses his wife. Just as Sir Orfeo disguised his presence and tricked the otherworldly creatures, Joel performs in the same manner throughout this scene, successfully avoiding infection and his own death, as well as ensuring Ellie’s safety. Ultimately, both Sir Orfeo and Joel's innate greatness was affirmed based upon their skills and behavior in surviving the trials put before them by supernatural or otherworldly entities. Additionally, Joel's interaction here with Ellie is another nod to the spiritual storyline, or affective quest, that typically parallels a physical quest in Medieval narratives. As I've discussed previously, the spiritual quest is typically one that leads to enlightenment or understanding of some greater knowledge, and in The Last of Us, that is interpreted into Joel's affective quest with Ellie. He goes back and forth emotionally,from behaving callously to compassionate towards her, which symbolizes the wandering path of the spiritual quest. In Chretien de Troyes' "The Story of the Grail (Perceval)," Perceval repeatedly finds himself close to fulfilling his spiritual quest, only to just fall short, as evident in the scene wherein he sees the Holy Grail as a serving chalice, and fails to ask about it. I included his sentiments in describing Ellie’s reaction the city skyline to illustrate his affective response toward Ellie. Reminiscent of Perceval’s wandering direction, Joel finds himself feeling compassion and a parental instinct when talking to her or looking at her, but he often veers away from those feelings, and replaces them with insensitive, dismissive, or angry remarks or reactions. 
Quest Expectations/terms: Supernatural Occurrences; Innate Greatness; Adventure